(I) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatic cleaning of paint spray gun assemblies and their component parts.
(II) Description of Prior Art
Paint workshops employ paint spray gun assemblies for painting of products, particularly in the automobile industry. Syphon spray guns are usually employed for small jobs requiring a small amount of paint, whereas pressure spray guns are usually employed for larger jobs. By means of such spray guns, products can be painted rapidly. After a particular job using a particular paint, the gun assemblies must be thoroughly cleaned of the paint before use with a different colour paint. The cleaning operation represents downtime in the use of the gun assemblies, necessitating that the workshop have a large number of gun assemblies if the skilled paint sprayer is to be kept employed for paint spraying operations with different with different paint colours throughout the day.
In addition the cleaning operation is an unpleasant and hazardous task requiring use of noxious, volatile, paint solvents, which are generally flammable and nauseous. Typically the cleaning operation will involve a period of immersing the gun assembly in an open vat of the cleaning fluid, allowing the assembly to soak in the fluid and using a metal brush or scraper to loosen paint debris, followed by rinsing with fresh cleaning fluid.